Depressed over rates

[nowellsl]

Leah,
I know exactly how you feel - and you have more options that we do - we are a family of 6, so we can't even get the extra bad in some of the rooms. I think it is very frustrating that our choices are so limited. Yes, we've done the connecting rooms at POP and this December we are renting DVC points, but I would like to have the option to stay in one of the deluxe resorts without having to pay $5000 for a junior suite because that's the only option for a family larger than 5. I have written to Disney about this, but all they say is that it is fire regulations that limit the # of guests in a room. I wish they would give larger families more options.

You also have the option of 2 standard rooms at a deluxe but I would imagine that wouldn't be much cheaper than a Jr. suite.

 

[CharlesTD]

If you have spent 5K on a juniour sweet at a deluxe why not just put that money into DVC then you get teh best of both worlds. You can stay at DVC or any other resort on property.

 

[digiMom]

I'm with you. I keep looking at the Planning DVD going, "oh, I want to go there, and there, and there... how much? "

Our trip is in about a year, but I'm already thinking how to compromise with a split stay (possibly with Value, off-site, or renting DVC points), and if it's worth the haslte of moving everyone halfway through (my guess is, it would be).

I'll be interested in hearing what you do and how it works out...

 

[tigerlilly]

Leah I completely here you. I don't understand how a middle class family affords to go more then once or twice in a lifetime. I am in awe of the people on these boards that go multiple times a year.
For my family the cost of just getting to Florida is well over $1200 and couple that with the extremely high cost of rooms it is an expensive venture. My families trip this December will likely be it for us...in other words Disney will get there money this time from me and then likely not again at least for 6 or more years. I don't fault Disney...they are a business and more power to them but if they were a little more reasonable just think instead of a one time trip costing me $5000 they might get 3 or more trips out of me costing $2500 to $3000 over the course of the next 6 years.
Good luck planning your trip!

 

[LegoMom3]

I'm in 100% agreement with you. First off, it's a sad fact of "hotel-dom" that most standard, non-suite rooms are designed for 4 people. We are also a family of five - doing alright by many people's standards but living in a very expensive part of the country (cost of living in New England is 2nd only to CA, and our lovely state of NH currently has the highest electric rates in the nation....). So we live week to week, and just get by. To take a week-long family vacation I sell stuff on eBay, save monetary Christmas/b-day gifts, and drop loose change into a mason jar (with Mickey key chain attached! ). It's VERY hard to afford a WDW vacation! The last time we went our youngest was 2 so we squeezed into a room at ASMo - we loved it there (we spend very little time in our room) but now with 3 kids over the age of 3, we can't stay there in one room. Even two connecting rooms would be tough for us. Fortunately we are avid campers and DH and I are willing to live out of a tent (kids just plain love it) so when we next go, we'll be camping!

I think you are right that a cabin at FW might be the most bang for your buck. FW is VERY nice! You mention you just got a new camper so I take it camping is not totally new to you. You'd probably be quite comfortable there. And if you do like to go back to your room/resort for a break, or spend a little extra time there early or late, the atmosphere at FW is very relaxing. It's a nice place to go for a little less hustle-n-bustle.

Good luck however it works out for you! Enjoy those family times together, one way or another.

 

[Brian Noble]

LeahA: I completley agree with you that the Deluxe resorts during Peak season are priced too high. But, I've come to a different conclusion. At those prices, staying there just isn't worth it to me. Strictly speaking I suppose we could afford to do it, but spending the money that way just doesn't strike us as a good value.

I know this is a minority opinion not shared by most here, but when I can get a 2BR condo offsite for a week in Peak season for what it would cost for one night in a similarly spacious deluxe resort, well, that's a lot of mickeybars. The inconvenience of having to drive to and from the parks (a drive that takes maybe an extra 5 or 10 minutes) is well worth what I can save by staying there. The savings nearly pays for our airfare AND our admission media for the week.

 

[Tink10]

Those of you who visit regularly don't like the high resort rates and stay in deluxes should really consider renting DVC points......It really is a bargain & we ultimately bought points because of our experiences renting.

 

[tlbwriter]

I don't fault Disney...they are a business and more power to them but if they were a little more reasonable just think instead of a one time trip costing me $5000 they might get 3 or more trips out of me costing $2500 to $3000 over the course of the next 6 years.

If no one else were there willing to take your $5000 spot over the next 6 years, I'm sure they'd have to lower their rates. They don't care if *you* ever come back, as long as someone else is willing to come in your place. That's why they don't offer frequent stay discounts like hotels do (oooh, wouldn't that be nice if you earned Disney points as easily as you can earn Hilton or Marriott points??? ) to encourage you to come back. They don't have to! (sigh)

 

[Brian Noble]

Tink: it's a bargain for the studio units (which don't solve LeahA's family-of-five problem), but for the 1BR/2BR units? Not as clear. A 2BR unit in Magic season (when we typically go to hit a week's school break) is still $300-$400 per night weeknights on point rental, and double that on weekends. I'm paying $480 for a week offsite in a 2BR condo, and am hoping to get that lower via skyauction. Admittedly, it's not as nice or convenient as a DVC 2BR, but I can't justify the price difference---the value just isn't there for me. I suppose I could drop back down to a 1BR, but I've really become accustomed to the space for our family, and even then it's north of $200 per night.

Owning might make more sense---but the annual maintenance fees on the 270 or so points I'd need for the week are still more than 2x what I pay to rent an offsite condo, and that's without even considering the opportunity cost of the purchase price.

 

[LeahA]

I can't believe all the responses! I love Disney, and I've been very fortunate to go to Disney 1 time per year for the last 7 years! If you look at my signature line you can see 6 out of 7 trips have been offsite. Each of those vacations with my dh and my 3 ds were just as awesome to me as the one trip this past year we stayed at WL.

I guess I just get all caught up in the "Disney Magic" that I get myself worked up. WL was my dream Disney hotel to stay at with my kids, besides the room being a little cramped, it was perfect!

When my dh and I can take a trip solo, my dream is to stay at GF. I have no idea when that will be, but I can't wait!

I'm not sure what we'll do for our upcoming trip but, thank you to all the great ideas.

Maybe we'll just camp down at FW. We usually drive every year anyways. We could always pull our pop up with us next time!